CaraSlug · Carabids as biocontrol agents for slugs in Oregon and Ireland - a novel and interdisciplinary approach to determine key malacophagous species and beneficial management options

Carabids as biocontrol agents for slugs in Oregon and Ireland - a novel and interdisciplinary approach to determine key malacophagous species and beneficial management options

Agricultural pests such as slugs are major contributors to financial losses in the farming sector and the use of pesticides, which is currently the mainstay of control, is an unsustainable management option due to their toxicity to non-target species and consumers but also because of their cost and variable efficacy. Pest control using natural enemies poses a more sustainable approach. Ground beetles are the most significant natural enemies of slugs in agroecosystems and several studies have shown that slugs are a major part of their diet. Most ground beetle species do not exclusively eat slugs, and the presence of alternative food sources is crucial for their survival during slug-free periods. However, alternative prey can also impact the consumption rate of the target pest species by being preferentially consumed. Additionally, factors such as field margin composition / structure or production practices such as tillage can have a substantial influence on the abundance and community composition of farmland invertebrates. This project aims to assess the potential of ground beetles as biocontrol agents against slugs and other pests in grass seed fields in western Oregon and grass fields in Ireland and to evaluate the influence of tillage and/or field margin structure on the abundance of slugs and other agricultural pests, ground beetles and invertebrates which could serve as possible alternative prey for the beetles. The control potential is evaluated by examining the abundance of ground beetles in agricultural fields at times when slugs cause most damage and through molecular gut-content analysis using high-throughput sequencing (to assess the breadth of their diet) as well as real-time PCR (to screen specifically for slugs, caterpillars and crane fly larvae and to get an approximate quantification of their predation). This research generates valuable knowledge aimed at working towards a more environmentally friendly approach to farming by reducing the use of toxic molluscicides.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union